Western Fun!
First stop on the ROUGH DIAMOND blog tour.
Hi peeps! Cassandra Dean here, all ready to chat about my newest release, ROUGH DIAMOND. This is also the first stop on my blog tour for ROUGH DIAMOND, organised by the lovely Lucy Felthouse. Check out below for great blog tour fun! But first, a little about ROUGH DIAMOND.
ROUGH DIAMOND is a Western Historical Erotic Romance. Phew, quite a bundle of genres there! It’s the tale of a lady saloon owner, Alice Reynolds, and the empty-headed Englishman who proposes he buys her saloon. Rupert Llewellyn appears all foolish and lacking smarts, but Alice can’t help feeling there’s more to him than what he’s willing to show…and you know what, peeps, she’s not wrong!
This story came about after a discussion with my editor on my previous release, TEACH ME. She suggested I write for Decadent Publishing’s Western Escape, and I couldn’t think of any reason not to. In fact, I got kinda excited about writing something so wholly different. I never thought I’d write a Western, so when confronted with the challenge, I grabbed it with both hands.
Of course, I had no rightly clue what I was letting myself in for!
I had a few struggles with this book, but one of the most difficult was the whole Western ‘tone’. I can hear English voices in my head no problems, but a Western twang was a bit of a challenge. It wasn’t until I watched all three seasons of Deadwood, enjoyed Timothy Olyphant in another Western-ish TV series, Justified, and read a little of Rapunzal’s Revenge that I started to get the ‘tone’ right. Finally, I could hear Alice in my head and let me tell you, I was mighty glad for it!
Make sure you stop by on the other blogs in the tour for more information surrounding ROUGH DIAMOND!
~ Excerpt ~
Lifting the glass, Alice studied its contents. “There is nothing quite like the enjoyment you get from a good whiskey. There’s the look and color of it, and the way it burns in the light.”
“It’s the same color as your eyes,” Llewellyn breathed, his own wide and empty of thought.
A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. That’s right. Fool me into thinking there’s not an ounce of calculation to your words. “Is it? Mighty kind of you to notice.”
A happy grin was her response.
Well now, she was surely going to enjoy this. Setting her own half-smile, she tilted her glass, watching as the whiskey caught the light of the candle. “Have you ever noticed the feel of glass? It’s smooth against your fingers, and though the whiskey burns you, the glass is cool. It seems strange, doesn’t it? That such fire could come from something so cool.”
Intensely aware of his gaze upon her, she brought the glass to rest on her bottom lip. “You lift the glass to your lips, and all that coolness rests upon your flesh. The scent of the whiskey hits you, sweet and fiery. Your mouth waters, and you can’t wait to have it inside you. Slowly, so slowly, you tip the glass, teasing yourself as long moments in want of its taste stretch unbearably.”
He no longer wore a smile. Dark eyes watched her as strong fingers dug into the glass before him.
A prickle washed over her skin, her heart a steady beat in her chest. With hushed voice, she continued. “Liquid slides down your throat. The flavor explodes inside you, a glorious rush of sensation that overwhelms and consumes. You curl your tongue, enjoying the lingering sensation in every part of your mouth. Then, you look at the bottle.” Finally, she met his gaze direct. No subterfuge. No tease. “And you know you can do it again.”
Title: Rough Diamond by Cassandra Dean
Western Escape Series
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Genre:Historical, Erotic, Romance
Length: 45,000 words
Summary:
Owner of the Diamond Saloon and Theater, Alice Reynolds is astounded when a fancy Englishman offers to buy her saloon. She won’t be selling the Diamond to anyone, let alone a man with a pretty, empty-headed grin…but then, she reckons that grin just might be a lie, and a man of intelligence and cunning resides beneath.
Rupert Llewellyn has another purpose for offering to buy the pretty widow’s saloon. However, he never banked on her knowing eyes making him weak at the knees, or how his deception would burn upon his soul.
Each determined to outwit the other, they tantalize and tease until passion explodes. But can their desire bridge the lies told and trust broken?
Part of Decadent Publishing’s Western Escape
Available NOW at:
Decadent Publishing | Amazon.com | Smashwords | All Romance eBooks | Barnes & Noble
Thanks so much for stopping by, and thanks to Kathy for having me!
Cassandra Dean
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
AND NOW, A GIVEAWAY!
Comment below and leave your email address to go in the running to win any Decadent Publishing ebook from my back list, a signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard and ROUGH DIAMOND magnet!
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
There’ll be a super, you beaut, fabulouso Grand Prize at the end of the book tour. Everyone who comments and leaves their email address on any of the stops in the tour will go in the running to win a USD$20.00 Amazon.com Gift Card, signed postcards and magnets of ALL my Decadent releases (ENSLAVED, TEACH ME and ROUGH DIAMOND). Stop by cassandradean.com for the big announcement!
Pretty spesh, am I right? So get commenting, peeps!
Follow the tour here: http://www.writermarketing.co.uk/prpromotion/blog-tours/currently-on-tour/cassandra-dean/
Thanks so much for hosting me, Kathy 😀
Congratulations on the new release!
Really enjoyed reading Enslaved and Teach Me.
It’s nice that the Western romance seems to be enjoying a revival — quite refreshing to have. ^_^
– Tin
khriscc (at) yahoo (dot) com
Thanks for stopping by, Tin! I’m so glad you enjoyed Enslaved and Teach Me 😀
Yeah, I’ve noticed the Western revival too – quite fortuitous for me, I think!
Cassandra, It’s great that you did the research in order to establish the characters voice. Don’t worry. I think all authors hear the characters in their heads. At least I do. LOL
All the best with the blog tour!
~Jessica
jessicasubject.writer AT gmail DOT com
Thanks for the reassurance, Jessica. Those voices did have me worried for a bit there…
Heh 😀
You’re right it is a mouthful but I do love western historicals. LOL Another Western Escape. YAY! congrats on your release and have fun on your tour.
Thanks, Eileen! 😀
I love a western Twang! Give me a cowboy with a twang and I melt.
mel
bournmelissa at hotmail dot com
Nice one, Mel! There’s no cowboys in Rough Diamond (boo!), but maybe one will feature in a subsequent story (yay!)
Thanks for stopping by!
What a great excerpt!
Thanks, Taryn 😀
i love cowboys and a western twang is real sexy!
parisfan_ca@yahoo.com
Rock on, Laurie! Gotta love that twang and drawl… 😀
Thanks for commenting!
I’m always interested in how authors find their characters voices. Sounds like you had a fun time doing it! Thanks for the giveaway!
acamotherangel at yahoo dot com
Hi Angie! I did have fun, when I wasn’t tearing my hair out 😉
Thanks for stopping by!
Cassandra what a fantastic excerpt, I used to live in Utah and we had all sorts of Western TV shows and films made there. Its kind of funny to watch and point out things I recognize as home in films and TV programs.
Carin mawmom at gmail dot com
I can only imagine, Carin!
Although, I remember watching the first series of Spartacus and being weirded out by all the Australian accents abounding all over the place, and they were *GASP* swearing!!!!
…
I was weirded out cos I’m Australian and it’s not an accent you hear a lot in non-Australian produced TV, not just because they were Australian. Cos that would be weird 😉
I love the sound of Rough Diamond!
taccb_1981@yahoo.com
Thanks so much, Timitra!
Wow great excerpt, always enjoy a western romance.
skpetal at hotmail dot com
Thanks Jean! 😀
Once again, Kathy has introduced me to a new author that I must read. The excerpt was, like the first sip of the whiskey, a teasing taste. Can’t wait to quench my thirst and read what happens to Alice and Rupert.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Annette. I hope you enjoy ROUGH DIAMOND mightily! 😀
Peeps, we have a winner! Congrats…
JeanMP!
Jean has won any Decadent Publishing ebook from my back list, a signed ROUGH DIAMOND postcard and ROUGH DIAMOND magnet!
Thansks to all who entered, and remember, you could still win the Grand Prize! Make sure to check my website (http://cassandradean.com) for updates!
Cassandra
xx
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